Meet the cast of Hideo Nakata's English-language thriller "Chatroom"

by Chris MaGee

As many of you know, I am really looking forward to Hideo Nakata's upcoming English-language thriller "Chatroom". (You can read our coverage about the film here.) Based on the 2005 stage play by Irish playwright Enda Walsh, who is also penning the script for the screen adaptation, "Chatroom" focuses on five teenagers who meet in an online chatroom. One of these five, William, turns out to have serious sociopathic tendencies and focuses his energies on manipulating the most vulnerable of the group, Jim, the remaining three must set out to stop him.

Now Screen Daily has put faces to these five teenagers with the announcement of the cast for Nakata's film. From left to right above we have Aaron Johnson (Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging), Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later), Matthew Beard (When Did You Last See Your Father?), Hannah Murray (Chall4 TV series "Skins"), and Daniel Kaluuya (also from "Skins", as well as episodes of "Doctor Who" and "FM") . Thus far no specific actors has been connected with specific roles, but if I were a betting man I'd say that Johnson will be taking on the role of William and Matthew Beard will be taking on the role of Jim... but that's just my hunch.

Nakata is set to begin shooting "Chatroom" next month with UK-based WestEnd Films heading up the production and Pathé Productions just recently picking up the UK distribution rights. More details on Nakata's next as they come out. Thanks to 24 Framers per Second for pointing the way to this story.